The price of an insensitive boss: $200K

What could be worse than a boss who spews racially derogatory language in the workplace? Answer: The boss testifying on the witness stand that such language doesn’t bother him. Not ­­surprisingly, three black former employees of a San Antonio foundry were awarded $200,000 in punitive damages after the U.S. Equal Employ­­ment Oppor­­tunity Commission filed a lawsuit involving such a crass boss.

The suit said the manager used the N word, posted racially tinged written material in the break room, and routinely slandered them by referring to them as “you people” and accusing blacks of always stealing and wanting welfare. On the witness stand, the boss denied that racial harassment occurred. He also admitted that it did not bother him to hear racially derogatory language at the plant. (EEOC v. AA Foundries, Inc.)